{"id":610,"date":"2020-04-14T12:12:34","date_gmt":"2020-04-14T02:12:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.herrmann.com.au\/blog\/?p=610"},"modified":"2022-12-02T09:43:20","modified_gmt":"2022-12-01T22:43:20","slug":"10-quotes-to-open-the-lines-of-cross-functional-communications","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/herrmann.com.au\/blog\/2020\/04\/10-quotes-to-open-the-lines-of-cross-functional-communications\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Quotes to Open the Lines of Cross-Functional Communications"},"content":{"rendered":"\n[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.22″ global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.10.3″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]Now more than ever, communication is essential to business and cross-functional team success. Much of your team is working from home, cloud conferencing and communicating in ways that we never have before. If cross-functional teams are the future of work, it is imperative that we all learn how to better understand each other to drive business success.\n

Why is Cross-Functional Communication so Important?<\/h2>\n75% of cross-functional teams are dysfunctional.\u00a0\n\nThat\u2019s the findings from a Harvard Business Review study by Behnam Tabrizi<\/a>. He looked at 95 teams from 25 organisations and found that nearly 75% of them were dysfunctional. And one of the biggest problems many of them face is one of the perennial problems of business: communication.\n\nCommunication is a real challenge when dealing with cross-functional interactions because that often means mixing people who have divergent perspectives, interests, priorities, and jargon.\n\nFrom our research, we also know that there are specific thinking preferences that tend to show up in different occupations and functions, and these can become almost like dialects of the brain.\n\nIn other words, someone from finance may struggle to \u201cget through\u201d to someone in marketing because, in many ways, they\u2019re not even speaking the same language.\n

Communication That Makes Sense to Everyone<\/h2>\nIf you want more function from your cross-functional teams, you need to bridge that communication divide. In addition to showing the HBDI\u00ae profiles<\/a> of a variety of different occupations and revealing how different quadrants of the brain communicate, The Whole Brain\u00ae Business Book provides a number of exercises, models and tips anyone can use to be a more effective communicator, no matter who they\u2019re interacting with.\n

Here are 10 quotes from the book that you can share to help inspire your teams to apply Whole Brain\u00ae Thinking and open up the lines of communication:<\/h2>\n
    \n\t
  1. \u201cWe experience the world around us as enhanced or filtered through our profile of mental preferences.\u201d<\/i><\/li>\n\t
  2. \u201cThe old saw that the Americans and the British are two peoples divided by a common language applies to those of us with dissimilar thinking styles as well. We assume we get what the other person means because we use the same words, but that\u2019s not necessarily the case.\u201d<\/i><\/li>\n\t
  3. \u201cPeople respond more positively when ideas, solutions or products are presented in a way that aligns with their thinking preferences.\u201d<\/i><\/li>\n\t
  4. \u201cImproving communications does more than just relieve personal frustration; it means that things can move more quickly with fewer mistakes and missed opportunities.\u201d<\/i><\/li>\n\t
  5. \u201cWhen the difference in thinking preferences and work requirements are both severely out of alignment, effective communication is least likely to occur. And when it does succeed, it is the result of intense focus and motivation on the part of the people involved. They really want to make it work.\u201d<\/i><\/li>\n\t
  6. \u201cOnce we understand how different preferences are influencing our own and others\u2019 communications, we can adapt to the different dialects of the brain. It takes awareness and conscious effort, but the payoff is worth it.\u201d<\/i><\/li>\n\t
  7. \u201cWhen Whole Brain team members learn how to express themselves in ways that are true to their thinking style but sensitive to other members\u2019 styles, the chances are good that the team will be highly effective.\u201d<\/i><\/li>\n\t
  8. \u201cNo matter who you are trying to influence, when you\u2019re better able to \u2018meet them where they think,\u2019 you\u2019ll be more efficient, and you\u2019ll have a better chance of getting the response you\u2019re looking for.\u201d<\/i><\/li>\n\t
  9. \u201cIncreased awareness of the differences in how each quadrant of the brain communicates aids the communication process by enabling people to listen more purposefully to what they hear and say what they mean more precisely.\u201d<\/i><\/li>\n\t
  10. \u201cWhen in doubt, use a Whole Brain\u00ae approach to ensure that all audience members have their needs met.\u201d<\/i><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    How HBDI\u00ae Assessments and Whole Brain\u00ae Thinking can promote Cross-Functional Communication\u00a0<\/h2>\nThose of you who use the HBDI\u00ae Assessment and Whole Brain\u00ae Thinking Model<\/a> already know how to effectively leverage the tool to increase effective and inclusive communication. By looking at the similarities and differences of each individual\u2019s profile, cross-functional team members can learn to understand how to speak a universal language that will boost productivity and employee morale.\u00a0\n\nReady to learn more about how Whole Brain\u00ae Thinking can help your team communicate more effectively? Read the first two chapters of the Whole Brain Business Book here<\/a>.<\/strong>\n\n\"Click